How to set up and play the CSA

[LCcmdr]

I do well (enough) as the Union; but am utterly terrible at leading the CSA.

Any suggestions on how to set up the South for having a chance against the North?

Currently, I create as many brigades as possible, primarily infantry and cannon. I literally use all the manpower available. Second, I create new navies, building primarily river ships to contest the Texas, MS, AL, GA, and SC waterways. Third, I go for diplomacy 1 &2 then industry, cotton, and finally military.

When the war starts, I don't have enough volunteers to add any new infantry to build up Virginia armies--this mostly leads to a series of early losses to much larger USA armies. While I'm strong in the West and fair in the Mid-west, my forces are terrible in VA.

Likewise, the Union Home fleet wrecks the NC and SC coastal regions. (When I play the Union, the home fleet gets beat up badly by those same forts. What's up?)

Do I have to choose Old Dominion to have better VA volunteer manpower?

Your help or feedback is welcomed!

thanks

[superfluke128]

Early CSA I pick Arms Agent for the Springfield rifle muskets, Apostles of Disunion for the support bonus and the free two state buffer zone. And I like Southern Railroad for my last policy simply for the +2 to credit. Early CSA is challenged less by manpower than it is by failing credit and that bonus goes a long way to extending your buildup.

Three armies, NVA under Lee at Manasses (start depot on day one), Shendandoah under Jackson, and Army of the West under Albert S Johnston west of St Louis (formerly MSG, also begin depot asap). I might use a couple smaller single brigade armies to help with construction needs.

Priority in the east goes to Jackson until he has four or five brigades and a couple batteries because there is a good chance some fool like Patterson is going to cross the Potomac at Harper's Ferry early on. If you can trounce them with the Army of Shenandoah, it will often gain you the time needed in the East to build up NVA.

Army of the West then gets most priority, your focus is on St Louis, then Cairo. You should have a depot south of the river from Cairo by now from a construction brigade. I take Cairo (and build another depot) not only for its strategic location in controlling the rivers, but because it will trigger an invasion alert, being in Illinois. This is where you want to fight. This army must be able to take on all comers.

For Navy, I leave James River Squadron alone and move all others first day of war to New Orleans where they are disassembled. I make a small river fleet with schooners and move them to Memphis, then Cairo. I start to build up another force in New Orleans to help defend the mouth. Do what you can to protect the upper and lower Mississippi because we all know what happens if you don't.

For policies I get Industrialization pre-war then focus mostly on military until you get Militia 2 and Regulars. Then you juggle dipping credit rating from buildup with financial policies to bring rating back up.

This setup gets me into spring and summer 1862 and will offer opportunity for NVA to threaten DC, assuming you don't want a quick cheesy game where you go there right away.

[LCcmdr]

Many thanks!

[donalddawkins]

Current patch is pretty tough, I roll arms agents for early weapons, southern industrialisation for more weapons and pacific railroad for extra credit score and more industry for...more weapons.

I then load up about 50-60k men in the eastern and 30k men in the west, which i withdraw to Nashville due to the Missouri Bug. I then do an early rush for Washington and aim to put the majority of future forces in this theatre. Right now the aI is pre-disposed to retake it's capital so if you can hold washington and just keep throwing troops into that theatre you can stop most union pushes in other theatre for the next few years as they throw everything they have into retaking washington.

If possible raise the forces in the east through army recruitment policies and diplomacy/industry for more guns. Keep about 60k in the west and put everything else in terms of quality and quantity in the east with the aim to hold Washington and then eventually expand further north. Unfortunately right now the Union ai will just swarm you and devastate your readiness but eventually if you can get enough supply depots and men in washington you can scare them off enough to push further north.

Whenever you get new guns create new units for the east and just keep trying to push. You'll eventually ruin their national morale but be prepared to fight the battle of Washington 20 times!

[LCcmdr]

I'm starved for manpower in my recent games. The Union just rolls over my VA armies, which are too small to stop even mediocre Union troops.

I will certainly include your directions into my future, if I ever learn how to play as the CSA. Thanks

[cmdrsam3]

I usually play CSA and I am no expert. But I usually focus on military first then economics later. So this will probably change when the new patch comes out where they have said they will be focusing on economics. I usually start with Fireater, Industry, and king cotton as the start policies. I then go militia and military 1 then diplomats 1. Then i go militia and military 2. Been tinkering with the 1500 man brigades since they do build up over that in time. Artillery is the equalizer right now. ANV has over 140 guns and holding its own. Bring Uncle Joe from the valley, bring up the hampton division. usually those give you enough to hold off the first assualt or assaults. Once you fend those it usually gives you a moment of pause. Navy I tend to dismantle the blue fleet as I have no intention of fighting that. I either dismand or dump them into Charleston SC. The Might Miss on the other hand I will fight and make several boats mass in one or two fleets. My building blocks I make a fleet in Vicksburgh, Memphis, Nashville and when they are done buiding dump into a river fleet I have.
Now I dont play max out levels so your distance may vary. I do hard with 10 advantage to the union. I dont play to break the union. The last couple of games I have gotten into mid 62 with ease and have enjoyed the last couple of games. But again your taste and pace may be different then mine. I dont mind long slow play.

[LCcmdr]

Thanks for this set up.

[cmdrsam3]

Some more info as well. I tend to set up multiple departments for recruiting. Dept of VA, Dept NC/SC. Dept of GA/AL/FL. Etc these are my recruiting bases. I will march these around building up supply depots and such. When I recruit I do it only one unit at a time and from each state where these departments are at. I then transfer these to my field armies.

I also tend to try and organize my armies as somewhat historically as they were. Like right now my Army of Northern Virginia is close to 57k in manpower with about 140ish guns. Since I have military 2 I have corps. Real corps not the game set up corps. But instead of naming them corps I have them named as Divisions. Like Lonstreets division. He has a full inf division with I think five or six brigades that range anywhere from 1.7 k to 2.5 k men in each brigade. I currantly have a divisional/corp art reserve with 4 units of art with his command. Jackson currantly has only 3 brigades of infantry but has five or six units of art. I have the army level of art with divisional commander with 4 units of art. DH Hill. and Huger have their own commands as well but forget their makeup. Again DH Hill and Huger are corps but have them listed as divisions. Have had about five battles around Bull Run.

Won two lost one voluntary as I killed more than I lost at 2-1 in my favor but I was not organized correctly and got all kinds of fubared up. But my morale was gonna cave in and I withdrew. The other 2 I left before battle as I was just buying time for my main army to come in position. Still hold most of Virginia but that. In Tennessee I am trying something else. Right now its mostly jocking for position as I build u there. Currantly have 2 corps in action there but with different set up. Polks command has a Infantry Div with 3 brigades at various strength and a division of art with 2 units. Bragg has his corp Just set him up with another division so he now has 2 inf divisions and a division of art. One of his inf div is a 3 brigade, the other right now has four brigades. Army level has its own art division of 3 units.

Sorry for the long winded response. Hope it gives you ideas. But again your mileage may vary. And I am in no way saying this is how you should play. But if it helps you great.

[LCcmdr]

Great guide-like information!

Received with appreciation.